Gillian Polack's Blog, page 321

gillpolack @ 2010-03-04T14:16:00

I promised lnhammer that I would post about The Arrival's reception by by Wednesday class. I fell asleep instead. I taught, then I slept, then I forgot dinner (which I'd already prepared) and then I went to a meeting. I shall eat that dinner tonight (brunch today was hot dogs made with halal herbed sausages, with cos lettuce replacing the bread and with spicy sauce - I'm finishing up things in the freezer and my next purchase will be the food the dcotor wants me to eat).

The Arrival totally ...

gillpolack @ 2010-03-03T17:56:00

I'm still having email problems, it seems. Nothing sent to me in a week has arrived. If this relates to your email, please try resending to Gillian(dot)Polack(at)anu(dot)edu(dot)au. I've done everything I can at this end. I'll let you know when I get normal email again.

I so didn't need the email problems right now! (yes, I'm having a tough week in other respects)

gillpolack @ 2010-03-02T23:47:00

I ought to warn you that it's Women's History Month. There will be posts. I offer you my sympathies in advance.

gillpolack @ 2010-03-02T16:27:00

In a few minutes my little art creature becomes a travelling creature. I've packed it and some old calendars showing Medieval reproductions so that we can talk about walking and eye contact and respect and makeup tonight in my Medieval London class. We're also looking closely at a text. And we may talk about evidence and its interpretation.

My writing class tomorrow has asked if we can look at how plot and character works without words. We're going to explore Shaun Tan's The Arrival.

And so...

gillpolack @ 2010-03-01T20:38:00

Very quick note. My email is bouncing again. If you need to contact me urgently, try my ANU email.

Where Gillian engages in wild Jewish thoughts, mainly because she took a half day off

WARNING: SPECULATION FOLLOWS

I've been reading book reviews instead of working. My excuse is that it's Monday. This review in particular got me thinking about the position of Jews in English law in the Middle Ages and how English legal fictions about Jews have created some assumptions about Jewish history. These are just thoughts. I have not done any research today, after all, I've just read book reviews.

Thought 1:

That the English Medieval status of Jews has nothing to do with human right...

gillpolack @ 2010-02-28T13:37:00

I've been interviewed again. I was the last in the series Eneit Press did for Women in Horror Month. I think I managed to be respectful and sensible. Mostly.

Health update

I've got a number of inquiries from nice people about my health, so here's an update.

Since the assessment of my right eye was that up to 50% of my vision is gone forever, it would be really helpful if friends would stop asking about how it's improving. I'm dealing well with learning how to use the reduced vision, except on days when things go funky. I don't deal well when eternal optimists assume the specialists are wrong. There is the possibilty of some treatment, yes, but a month ago I e...

gillpolack @ 2010-02-28T11:53:00

I always check the weather when I come online. Imagine my surprise when I was faced with a tsunami warning today.

When I investigated further, it all became clear. Canberra is in the mountains and inland, but Lord Howe Island and Jervis Bay get some of the same weather bulletins. We all get subsumed under the NSW regional reports, even though we're not NSW. Both Lord Howe Island and Jervis Bay are already getting the ripples from the underwater earthquake. Tsunami a very real threat an...

gillpolack @ 2010-02-27T22:38:00

Purim is good this year. Very, very good.

A few friends came round (since a large party is not something I'm ready for yet) drank a Margaret River white and a Wolf Blass white and beer and a sweet cider and much daiquiri and tequila shots (with Himalayan salt) and peach liqueur and liqueur tokay (Pfeiffers) and when we were all lubricated I hauled out my little Purim story (the 1989 version, since it turned 21 tonight) and we made havoc for a bit. Everyone dressed up in costumes and old cl...